There are several benefits to getting a good night’s rest, such as enhanced alertness, energy and mental clarity. During deep sleep your body repairs damaged cells and tissues, and strengthens the immune system. On this page we will look at five ways to improve sleep.
One: Sleep Hygiene
I once treated a lady who struggled for years with insomnia. We talked about all the usual suspects - stress, caffeine, screen time - but nothing stood out. Then she casually mentioned that her mattress was lumpy, old, and uncomfortable. She couldn’t afford a new one, but I encouraged her to consider it. A month later, she bought a new one, and her sleep transformed. Sometimes, the simplest changes make the biggest difference.
Sleep hygiene is about the basics. Your room should be dark, quiet, and a little cool. Your bed should be comfortable. Your evenings should be calm and screen-light minimal. Your mornings should start with sunlight. These things sound obvious, but they’re often overlooked. Instead of chasing fancy sleep hacks, start with the simple things.
Two: Chronotype
Cronotype is the natural inclination of your body to sleep at a certain time, or what most people understand as being an early bird versus a night owl.
In addition to regulating sleep and wake times, chronotype has an influence on appetite, exercise, and core body temperature. It is responsible for the fact that you feel more alert at certain periods of the day and sleepier at others.
Scientists consider it impossible to purposely change your chronotype. A night owl may be able to wake up at 6 am every day for work, but they may not be productive until later in the day.
Conversely, an early bird may wake up bright and chipper for their 7 am shift, but then start to feel sleepy already in the late afternoon. When a person’s natural chronotype comes into conflict with the demands of their schedule, this is termed social jet lag.
In The Power of When by Michael Breus introduces the three usual chronotypes: Lions (early risers), Bears (day people), and Wolves (night owls), and then he adds a forth chronotype: Dolphins. Dolphins are light sleepers who wake up frequently throughout the night due to an overactive mind and a tendency to worry.
Breus goes beyond sleep schedule and suggests the best times for other activities such as eating, working, and exercising, based on your natural rhythms. I suggest the paperback version as the charts in the ebook are a bit small, and thus hard to read.
Three: Yoga Nidra
I’ve always been a bad sleeper. Even as a child I would spent entire nights tossing and turning and would end up being exhausted for school the next day. As I got older I tried various approaches to combat my insomnia, and they all worked to some extent, but none as well as yoga Nidra. Not only did my sleep improve but I felt much calmer and more relaxed during the day.
Yoga Nidra is the practice of entering the conscious state of mind that falls somewhere between sleeping and being awake. You are awake during the entire time you practice, but you’re not exactly alert. The goal is to enter a conscious sleep state and totally relax your brain, thus releasing any unwanted tension in your body.
Yoga Nidra and Brain Waves
What makes Yoga Nidra so powerful isn’t just the physical rest—it’s what happens in your brain.
During a typical day, your brain operates in beta waves, associated with thinking, alertness, and sometimes anxiety. But as you practice Yoga Nidra, your brain gradually slows down through:
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Alpha waves: Present during light meditation and relaxation—your gateway to calm.
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Theta waves: Associated with dreams, deep creativity, and emotional processing.
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Delta waves: Found in deep, restorative sleep.
Yoga Nidra gently guides the brain into alpha and theta states, where healing and integration occur—without losing conscious awareness. This is why even a short practice can feel incredibly rejuvenating, sometimes more so than a full night of sleep.
Four: Buteyko Breathing
A Ukrainian doctor, Konstantin Buteyko, created the Buteyko breathing technique in the 1950s. This therapeutic breathing method uses breathing exercises to control the speed and volume of your breath. This helps you to learn to breathe more slowly, calmly, and effectively. The benefits of Buteyko breathing include better sleep, less anxiety, and less pain.
Five: Natural Remedies for Sleep
One advantage to using natural remedies is that they are non addictive and won't make you feel drowsy during the day. Another advantage is that there are a wide range of remedies, so you can select the one that exactly matches your sleep condition. Coffea cruda for example, is for a mind that races with excitement, plans, or worries. Arsenicum is for or restless, anxious sleepers who wake in the early hours. White Chestnut flower essence helps calm repetitive, unwanted thoughts.
For years I’ve worked with people whose daily lives were interrupted by fatigue, pain, and uncertainty. What I’ve learned is that healing begins when you feel truly heard. That’s why I combine homeopathy with lifestyle and mindfulness support, to treat the whole person.
I hold a DMH from the Hahnemann College of Heilkunst, a BA in Psychology, and I’m a proud member of the International Heilkunst Association (IHA).
“After six weeks, I had more energy than I’d felt in years. I started gardening again.” – Michael, Canada